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Event Review: Linzi+Eddie, June 19, 2010

Eddie and Linzi make their getaway through a curtain of bubbles. Photo by Affordable Photography Service

On Saturday, June 19, 2010, we were pleased to provide disc jockey and emcee services for Linzi and Eddie’s wedding reception held at DiVieste Banquet Hall‘s Fireside Room located at 754 North River Road Northwest in Warren, Ohio, a family-owned facility with authentic homestyle Italian food run by three generations of family staff from Grandfather and founder Joe DiVieste to, Grandson Jimmy DiVieste. It was nice to DJ in this intimate space, but if your party is larger, DiVieste also has a larger space called the Candlelight Room suitable for gatherings with more guests.

Cocktail hour featured adorable bride and groom decorated cookies provided by Butter Maid Bakery in the Southern Park Mall in Boardman, OH, as well as mellow tunes provided by Something New Entertainment Disc Jockeys, drinks provided by the facility’s bar, and conversation provided by Eddie and Linzi’s family and friends! 😉

The bridal party, all decked out in their formalwear with wacky sunglasses, made an energetic entrance to “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, each dancing to the center of the dance floor for their moment in the spotlight, followed by the bride and groom, themselves, who strutted in to “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith before making a dramatic spin on the ballroom floor, made even more dramatic by the skirt of Linzi’s David’s Bridal ballgown, which featured layers and layers of fluttering tulle.

After dinner, Linzi and Eddie cut their mountain of cupcakes crowned by a small cake (both from Sam’s Club Bakery, displayed on a stand from Cupcake Tree) to SONG surrounded by a fanciful domed gazebo with fairy lights native to the room – it’s a really lovely spot for the cake and the tiny twinkling lights were just perfect with the style of Linzi’s dress. They were what I call “smashers” (couples who give a little smash and smear during their feeding of cake to each other), BUT the smash had absolutely no believable sense of force or competitiveness behind it on either side and was very playful and playful in nature. It was about as loving as a smash can get, LOL!

Linzi and Eddie shared a traditional first dance to SONG, followed by Linzi and her father’s dance to SONG, and Eddie and his mother’s dance to SONG, before opening the dance floor. Linzi and Eddie are a couple that just wanted to have a great time and for their friends and family to have a great time, no holds barred.

I saw the SWEETEST thing at this wedding: of all the compromises made during the wedding-planning process, there was one point upon which Linzi would not yield – “Freebird.” However sweetheart Linzi evidently told Justin privately to play it as a special dedication for the groom. Unsuspecting Eddie was minding his own business, schmoozing with friends and family, when Justin called him to the dance floor:

“Eddie?” he said. “I’m going to need you to join your lovely bride on the dance floor so that I can show everyone here what true love is. Come on down here, and I want you to look deeply into your lovely brides eyes.”

“Here it is, folks. True love, “he continued. “Eddie, over weeks of planning this wedding, there was one thing that Linzi told me you could not have. Do you remember what it was?” A look of puzzlement briefly crosses over Eddie’s face before he clearly remembers that something. “That’s right,” says Justin, “a nine-minute song. Well, Linzi told me secretly to play it for you!” As Linzi and Eddie slow dance to Freebird, many other couples join them, sharing the LONGEST slow dance I’ve ever seen 😉 It was really, really touching, and I felt so lucky to be able to share it with you guys!!!

Eddie is a military man, and, like many brides, Linzi coordinated much of the planning on her own with Eddie’s input. Even in the very beginning of the planning process, Linzi knew and told us that the “Do Not Play” list was going to be short, if there was one, at all. She knew that she was much more interested in guest participation – cheesy or not – than anything else. At Linzi’s request, we played every line dance I can think of, including the Chicken Dance, the Hokey Pokey, and the Electric Slide, as well as a ton of party favorites, and lots of high-energy top 40.

Now, many of you know that I’m known for being sometimes skeptical about those specific dances I just named, as well as their cousins, the Boot Scootin’ Boogie, the Cleveland Shuffle, the Cha Cha Slide, the Cupid Shuffle (ok – that’s a lie. I will stop everything I’m doing to do the Cupid Shuffle. I like the kicking part!), etc., but I can honestly say that this was one of the most fun parties I have ever been to! Linzi did an especially fantastic job of paying attention to the group personality of her guests and identifying their tolerances and preferences.

This kind of care and insight for your guests is one of the largest and most direct influences the success of your dance floor, so think about it as you plan your music selections for the evening – it’s absolutely possible to strike a balance between pleasing the crowd and staying true to yourself with the evening’s “soundtrack,” and your Something New Entertainment DJ/MC (and AJ9 in the office) are thrilled to brainstorm with you! Just call us!

Well, I guess you’ve gathered by now that this wedding had the perfect balance of romance, family fun (aka “cheese”), and a BIG swirl of sassiness. Which I guess means – if this wedding reception was a dessert – it would have been (my favorite!!!) a raspberry cheesecake: elegant, sweet, tart, and, yes, a little cheesy (even more appropriate because the color theme featured pink accents, LOL).

Linzi and Eddie: it was an honor to be with you on your special day, as well as during your planning process. Besides just enjoying your company and enjoying your party, you really taught me something! We are always looking to broaden our horizons – to learn and grow. I now have a different point of view of some great music that I was missing out on, before, and I know that it will improve my abilities to serve our future brides and grooms! Thank you!